The
impact of a swimming pool in your home.

Did you know that a pool may double the selling
price of a home in Spain?

Reading through various websites I was struck by a
remarkable fact; a simple pool can double the price of a home in Spain.

A house with a pool in Spain costs on average of
407,704 Euros, according to the Idealista one of the best known real estate portal in Spain.

In addition, it also true that a house with a pool
can also mean an extra charge of 447 Euros on annual community expenses; this is a 57% more than a house without a pool, (below I will explain why) and another striking fact…

About a quarter of homes for sale in Spain have
a pool.

A swimming pool is still a luxury in this country;
I mean a house with a pool. Its price is twice that of a house that does not have one. According to the statistics carried out by the Idealista. To buy a home with a pool in Spain costs on
average 407,704 Euros, which is more than double (110%) the price of a home that do not have it 193,525 Euros.

This real estate portal
explains that a pool, increases the purchase price but also means that the community charges for those who enjoy its use, are also higher because it carries an extra annual cost of 447 Euros on
community expenses, that is a 57% more. Specifically, the price paid on average in Spain for a house without a pool reaches 780 Euros, while those who do who have the blessed pool paid an average
of 1,227 Euros. In any case, in Spain, only 22.7% of all homes that are advertised for sale in the Idealist have a swimming pool.

Where are there more homes
with pools is Spain?

The town in which more
properties have this luxury is of course Alicante, with 35.2% of all properties advertised do have a pool. It is followed by Madrid with (25.3%), Ciudad Real (24.2%), Malaga (23.9%), Logroño
(22.7%) and Tarragona (22%). Obviously the more you go towards the north the less dwellings enjoy this luxury. So the three cities with fewer homes with pool on the market are Vitoria only 0.4%
of the advertised properties have it, 0.6% in Bilbao and only 0.9% in Pamplona. I haven’t seen shown any in Avila where temperature can plummet in winter to a chilly -30ºC!!!

Is it expensive to maintain
a community pool?

One of the most popular and
desired items when housing is sought is the pool, which is not surprising, since it is one of the most enjoyable equipment during the hot months. If it is a house or a villa, it will not entail
major problems, beyond expenses or the reforms we want to do it.

However, when our dwelling form
part of block of flats with communal pool, we must consider a number of elements, such as the extra cost (our share of the community expenses can grow exponentially) and also consider the
problems of coexistence that may entail. Here are some things to consider before deciding to add a pool to your community of owners:

Safety regulations and
lifeguard.

Each region has its own rules
and regulations regarding private community pool. In addition, you should also take into account the municipal regulations of your city. Thus, depending on the number of houses, the size of the
pool and its depth, in some regions it is mandatory to hire a lifeguard, which can significantly increase the cost of the share of the community.

Liability
insurance:

Although not always required,
it is advisable to take out liability insurance to cover damages and possible accidents in the pool and surrounding grounds.

Internal rules of
use:

In addition, the community must
draw up internal rules to be hung in a visible place by the pool. This document should be collected aspects such as the opening and closing hours, the authorized clothing, prohibited activities
(such as jumping into the water head or shower before entering the pool) and the maximum permitted capacity.

Maintenance and safety:

This is another point that can
increase the cost of community fee, and that is maintenance. The rules of the Community of Madrid, for example, states that a technically qualified person to be responsible for the correct
operation of the installation, there is an official record book, available to users, which must be logged twice daily with data as PH, the disinfectant used, the meter reading of purified water,
and so on.

Maintenance
off-season:

Although the pool may not be in
use maintenance cannot ignored. On this issue, the rules of the Community of Madrid provides that when the pool is not in use, the water surface must be covered or fenced to avoid that anyone may
fall into it. In addition, it is mandatory to empty the vessel completely at least once in each season and refill of course.